Mutual support
by Artemis Darkshadow
Summary: Pre-series Wee!chester. Dean has always been there when Sam has a nightmare but when Sam tries to deal with one on his own, Dean realises he needs his little brother just as much as his little brother needs him. Dean is 10 and Sam is 6. Terrible summary- my apologies.


**Oh look, it's another wee!chester fan fiction :0) I have way too much fun writing these. Please read and review and if it's any good then ideas/prompt words would be a godsend. **

**Dean's 10 and Sammy's 6.**

The motel was drenched in darkness and so was room 42. Dean lay with his back to the door and facing the adjoining bed. It was too dark for the ten year old to see his little brother properly, but he could make out the outline of Sammy huddled beneath the duvet. He turned over, squinting; attempting to find the luminous hands of the motel room clock. They were faded and a strange shade of blue that flickered slightly and which Sam insisted gave him a headache. It was…quarter to one? Something like that anyway.

His Dad had gone out a few hours ago, telling the boys to pack up because when he got back they were leaving first thing. Dean had no idea when he was coming back but it could be any time between now and tomorrow afternoon. The windows and doors were bolted and salt was spread over the windowsills and across the threshold of the doors leading to the bedroom wherein Sam and Dean were, the main door and even the bathroom. He gripped the handle of the shotgun underneath his pillow just in case.

Dean could never sleep at this time, probably because Sam had recently been having the nightmares typical of six year olds; woken up and crawled into Dean's bed and held onto his brother until he went to sleep again. Not that he minded. The warm little bundle was comforting, safe and secure.

He turned over, facing the ceiling and listening to the almost silence. The only sound in the room was that of Sam and Dean's breathing. The older Winchester's brow wrinkled into a frown as he heard the inhaling and exhaling from the other bed become shallower and more erratic. Sam was probably just changing dreams- and something good as well, he hoped. It was nothing.

Maybe if he listened hard enough he could hear the clock. It only had a quiet tick but it did so with a strange beat that was comforting somehow. As he listened, he heard a police siren as a car moved past the window. Sam's breathing was become quicker and shallower.

"Sammy?" Dean called out softly, not wanting to wake the six year old if he _was_ still asleep. "You ok?"

Dean heard a slight hitch in Sam's breathing and knew his little brother was holding back tears. But why hadn't he just come over to Dean? That was strange.

"Sammy; Sammy what's wrong?"

That seemed to be the little boy's breaking point; he was now sobbing openly into his pillow and those tears were his brother's breaking point. Sitting up, Dean disentangled himself from his bed and walked over the Sam's. He pulled up the duvet and slid next to his little brother. Sam immediately turned over and clung on to him. "What's the matter?" Whispered Dean, stroking the back of Sam's head and making quiet shushing noises to calm him down.

"There was someone bleeding into my mouth." Sam replied in a voice broken by sobs. "Then there was someone leaning over me and there was something in my mouth and it tasted like blood, and then there was someone on the ceiling and everything went on fire and Daddy was shouting and everything was moving real quick and-" Sam broke into tears and Dean froze. How did Sam remember that? He'd been six months old at _most_; he didn't even know their mum's name. "I was really scared Dean," Sam continued, his voice growing faster and faster "and then I woke up and heard someone breathing and they sounded really close and I should have known it was you but I couldn't see and-"

"Hey, hey, hey. Calm down, I got you." Dean soothed as Sam began shaking. "Nothing's gonna get you, Sammy, ok?"

"Promise?"

"Promise." Dean pulled Sam closer and felt the little bundle in his arms wriggle down, getting comfortable.

"Ok." Mumbled Sam through Dean's shirt.

"Why didn't you just come over and tell me?"

Sam hiccupped. "Daddy told me after last time that I need to sleep on my own and stop waking you up. He said that I'm old enough not to believe in nightmares."

Dean gritted his teeth. Since when did their dad give a damn about Sam having nightmares? Seeing as he was only here when he thought he could grace his children with his presence, Dean doubted it was very long. Why did he have to be such a jerk?

"Sammy?"

"Yeah, Dean?"

"The next time you have a nightmare you come straight over here you got me?"

"Ok."

"Love you, Sammy."

"Love you too Dean."

Dean closed his eyes and felt Sam's warmth seep into him. It was oddly comforting, knowing his brother was safe. In a way, that was Sam's special way of protecting Dean- just by being safe. Perhaps Dean needed Sam just as much as Sam needed Dean, or maybe even more.

**The mid-season break is over :D Huzzah! Please review- you'll get a cyber cookie. Extra cookie to the one who catches the Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy reference.**


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